Israel Completes Vote Count in October 27 Election, Leaving Netanyahu's Bloc Short of Majority

Israel has finished counting votes from its October 27 parliamentary election, leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc short of the 61-seat majority required to form a government, according to Israeli media reports on Thursday. With all votes counted, Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the opposition won 48 seats and Arab parties took 19 seats.

Election Results and Seat Distribution

• Likud Party: Emerged as the largest single party with 27 seats.
• Yashar (led by Gadi Eisenkot): Won 21 seats.
• Other Parties: B'Yachad secured 12 seats, the Joint List took 11, The Democrats and Ra'am won eight seats each, United Torah Judaism, Yisrael Beiteinu and Otzma Yehudit secured seven seats apiece, and Shas and Religious Zionism won six each.

The final tally followed the processing of special double-envelope ballots by Israel's Central Elections Committee, which included votes from soldiers, prisoners, diplomats abroad, and hospitalized voters. The committee stated it completed counting these ballots and will release official results later.

Investigations and Allegations

The election has sparked a political controversy involving unproven allegations of foreign interference and voting irregularities:

• Likud's Allegations: Prime Minister Netanyahu's party claimed Arab-led parties benefited from alleged vote-buying and illegal mobilization, characterizing the election as "stolen."
• Security Probes: Israel's domestic security agency, the Shin Bet, is investigating suspicions of illegal foreign funding reportedly linked to Qatar and Turkey. Additionally, the Israel Police Lahav 433 unit is investigating suspected election bribery.
• Official Stance and Denials: Central Elections Committee chairman Noam Sohlberg requested the Shin Bet investigation, but the committee's acting director-general noted no basis for allegations of systematic violations of election integrity. Qatar has denied interfering in the election.

Next Steps

Neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition holds the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority, pointing toward complex coalition negotiations. Israel's president will oversee the selection of a lawmaker to form a coalition once results are certified. Unverified claims and ongoing investigations continue to shape the political environment.